by Nanette Fox
Chapter 36
Money and Legal Matters
He sat in the slowly darkening room as the dusk came in. He reflected on the days ahead. He knew there were going to be yet more speed humps in Izzy’s and his relationship. Firstly, there was something that was difficult to tell. Then, in relation to his father’s estate, he knew about Lizzie’s carefully prepared envelopes. He knew Lizzie was a woman of her word and would have done exactly as Marco had wanted her to. He believed each envelope had included some money. It seemed also there was a letter from Isaac to Marco. He hadn’t wanted to read Isaac’s letter to his father, Lucy had told him all he needed to know, what was now, months ago.
Tim had been surprised to find he was Executor for his father’s estate, and it had been another constant drain on his emotions to organize to carry out his father’s wishes. His father had left a will that was quite clear in its intention his estate in trust was between his three children, the house of course to Ruth. His ‘wish list’ was the troubling aspect as that specified the purchase of various items for his mother, Julia and Isabella. He was to have his father’s Breitling watch, his father’s business if he wanted it, goodwill, office property and all. His brother David was to be offered the Porsche and some investments.
He had employed a forensic accountant to track all the investments and complicated deals his father had entered into with Isaac, and it had blown him away how many different things his father was involved in. So much so that Tim felt his father had sold his soul for wealth. When he finalized the architecture side of things, the projects still open at his father’s desk were a thin brief comparing even to his own efforts since graduating. He was in a parallel thought universe with Izzy as to why the others, his brother and sister hadn’t queried what was happening. Maybe, he thought, they assumed their mother was looking after things.
Tim had loved his father with all his heart, he was his teacher, his support, his hero; over the last four or five years, Tim had become alarmed at the turns his father had taken with his life. Lizzie was lovely, but it had kicked him in the guts to find Gramps entertaining her to enable his father’s affair. He had wanted to collaborate with his father on some projects but had been disillusioned when his father had said his business interests kept him too busy. What troubled him more than anything was that David, Julia and his mother all seemed totally unaware of the changed Marco from a very honourable man to a conniving snake.
Darkness had fallen, and he reached over to turn on the bedside lamp. Under a coaster, he noticed a photo. Pulling it out, he realized it was of himself, but he couldn’t remember it being taken, the night they all been by the pool. He turned it over and saw Izzy’s scrawl ‘the man I love Tim Martinelli’ and a quote
It’s hard to wait for something you know might not happen, but it is even harder to give up when you know it’s everything you want.
He swallowed and leaping from the bed pulling some of his discarded clothing on, leaving his shirt undone and flapping around his body, he went to search for Izzy. He found her folded in a kitchen chair with her knees up under her chin. She was resting a cup of coffee, very cold coffee on one knee and a half-eaten chocolate biscuit on the other. She was looking very teary. Glancing up at him, she said, ‘I am frightened it is all going to be horrible again.’ He pulled a chair up and sat with her stroking her hair.
He whispered softly, “I can’t promise it is going to be perfect, but I want to do the best I can to love and cherish you.”
The sapphire blue eyes were just liquid pools, and her face didn’t really express any obvious pleasure in what he had just said. Removing the coffee and half-eaten biscuit to the table, he leaned in close to her face, his arm encircling her shoulders. He touched her face with his free hand to turn her head ever so slightly so he could kiss her. “Izzy, please try to be with me.”
“Isaac is still hurting me; he turned me into such a mess I doubt the truth of what is happening between us. There are all these other things going on in our lives that are getting in the way and it all has Isaac tangled in it somewhere. I thought your dad was always willing to help me, but he just used me, my troubles to get wealth for himself.”
Tim was panicked, “Izzy what are you talking about?”
She looked at Tim with a hardened expression, “I think you know,” she said softly.
“No, I don’t know Izzy. I have been untangling Dad’s affairs for a couple of months, it is a mess, but I don’t think what you just said is correct.”
“It is Tim.”
He started to explain, “I was appointed my dad’s Executor in his will and yes Dad and Isaac had gone into business together, a really wide range over many countries, but Izzy what you’re saying that’s a twisted view.”
“No Tim it is not.”
“I wanted so much to see you all together after I’d talked to your mum and talk to you altogether, but now I have to have this out with you.” Tim sat back away from Izzy. He assessed she was absolutely distraught about things.
“Izzy tell me.”
“Your dad had a relationship with Elizabeth, he called her Lizzie, and you called her Lizzie this afternoon, so you knew. You know, guess what, your mum knew about their relationship too, about Elizabeth being Marco’s Lizzie.”
Tim was rubbing his face with his hand. “What else Izzy?” he said angrily.
“Well Tim this maybe you don’t know, but your dad got a confession out of Isaac about his and my marriage, most of the things that happened to me, and the final straw that broke ‘Izzy’ and he blackmailed.”
“He effectively blackmailed him Tim; he got money to pay for his silence. Elizabeth had it invested for him. He got money for your mum which she has got, a similar amount too for Lucy. He got money for the ‘three of you’, a lot of money, and he wants me to deliver it to ‘the three of you’. I could keep it and say nothing but that makes me no better than him. Yes, that’s right, like I am some disposable trash that enabled him to get it in the first place, what sort of sick person does that?” She was no longer soft, gentle Izzy, she was fire and brimstone, hard as nails.
She looked at him, waiting for the challenge, waiting for the denial. It wasn’t forthcoming. Tim was just sitting there with a very sad and disgusted expression on his face. “I knew you or David had to have some idea, I just knew it,” she spat.
“Izzy, I don’t think you are going to believe me when I say I knew nothing about the blackmail, the deal, whatever it was and that money.”
“I would like to believe you Tim, I really would; I just can’t. I absolutely hate Isaac, I loathe your father, and now I am wishing I had never got involved with you.”
“Izzy, shit Izzy, no!” he stormed at her.
“See I did need to be frightened, it has happened. I fell in love with you and it has turned to ruins.” She was crying, her head in her hands.
“I am not going away Izzy, I am not; you must know that. I love you. I can’t give you an answer as to why Dad decided to do it that way. Maybe, he was simply returning the money to you. He is not here to tell me why, my darling Izzy.” He pulled his chair into the table and just sat with his arms resting on the table glaring at her.
A few moments later, Rebecca and Paul burst into the kitchen in high spirits and assessing the rather tense looking scene stepped backwards into the hall somewhat faster than they had arrived. They looked at each other in alarm. Paul signalled to Rebecca they should head upstairs. They did so and once there, Paul let out ‘bloody hell, the air down there is tense’. Rebecca looked at him in anguish.
He shrugged his shoulders, “They are both half-dressed so it is a real lover’s row.”
Rebecca looked sad, “They’ve barely started being together, they love each other so much.”
“Maybe it is too much,” said Paul. Rebecca just looked at him.
’It is never too much when you love someone you just hope they love you as much if not more."
Paul just looked at her. “Can I quote
that in some speech or other, maybe our wedding?” Paul held out his arms, and Rebecca walked into them. They kissed passionately, and Paul whispered in her ear, “Let’s consummate our official engagement.”
Rebecca swatted him on the chest and said, ’It’s consummate marriage you twit." They fell to the bed laughing.
Paul twisting her hair around his hand said, “Do you think they’ll be there tomorrow?” She shrugged.
Chapter 37
Rebecca and Paul
It was a lovely sunny day and Lucy felt like dancing. She was so happy that Paul had asked her beautiful daughter to marry him. Michael and she adored Paul. He was a wonderfully steady person, calm and considerate. Paul had made the effort of an old-fashioned style request for their daughter’s hand in marriage which was terribly sweet. Rebecca was glowing. She looked sensational in a floaty dress. The ring sparkled on her finger, an amazing choice. Lucy suspected Tim had helped in the selection as it was a little unusual in design with the diamond cut in a teardrop shape with two other diamonds set at the base on an angle, it would require hand designed wedding ring to complement it.
Rebecca and Paul were to be surrounded by their closest friends and family to celebrate their engagement. Lucy loved parties and planned quite an event. David had arrived with Veronica, Julia with Antonio, Ruth arrived with a friend, a nice man, another artist-type, called Phil. Missing at the moment were Tim and the lovely Isabella. There’d be somewhat of a crowd when extended family started arriving. There was a little whisper around the group already gathered querying when Tim and Isabella would appear.
About half an hour late, somewhat stony faced in a grey and white striped wrap dress that really did nothing for her beauty, Isabella arrived alone. She made polite excuses for being late and proffered the bottles of champagne she’d been asked to collect on her way. Lucy looked at her and was immediately worried. Isabella didn’t look well; looking tired and dispirited she disappeared out of the main group and fiddled around near the kitchen getting a drink. She didn’t look approachable, avoiding greeting everyone. Not long after, Tim arrived with a girl called Elaine. Lucy, very protective towards Isabella, was horrified but didn’t have it in her to be rude. Julia and David exchanged surprised looks. Ruth was aghast. They had met her before. They knew her well. They were astounded Tim had brought her to this celebration.
Elaine was a friend of Tim’s from University. A short fling as he had been going with Victoria at the time. She had invaded their home almost, for a period of about six months, during his third year at University. Their rather bizarre friendship had continued ever since. She was called Elaine, preferred ‘Lainey’ and came with the nick-name ‘Paddle Pop’. All of the Martinelli family knew her and mutually groaned. She was a ‘wild’ creature. Quite a pretty girl with a shock of curly black hair, small in stature, she was always clad in black, she had multiple piercings, a tattoo or two or three. She rode a motor-bike too. Exactly like today, they’d turn up on their bikes tossing leathers and helmets on the floor inside the door and at the first opportunity grab a beer. She was known as “Paddle-pop” for her love of the ice-cream treat and she had nick-named Tim initially ‘ice on a stick’ which had evolved to ‘sex on a stick’.
Today, they grabbed their beers and immediately engaged Paul and Rebecca in a conversation. Paul’s mind was doing overtime at what had prompted his friend to bring this girl, when his Isabella was at the party too. Tim had told Paul a little about her but why turn up with her today? Tim and Lainey were standing together as they always did with their hands in each other’s rear jean pocket, Lainey sort of tucked into his armpit. Tim looked a little wild-eyed and defiant. David went up to them and said, “Elaine, nice to see you, long time no see.”
“Hello David, please call me ‘Lainey’.”
“So, what have you been up to?”
“I am working as a social worker these days,” she said. “I have got the look to work with young teenagers apparently.” Paul was listening for any hint of what she was doing here today. He noticed Lainey’s free arm was holding her beer and had been placed across Tim’s waist suggesting an intimate relationship as they spoke to everyone.
Lucy saw Isabella flee outside within about ten minutes of Tim’s arrival with this odd girl and she was now standing on the balcony and gazing into the distance. Julia had come across to Lainey and asked much the same as David and introduced her to Antonio. Lainey and Tim had finally split themselves apart, so Paul went across to his friend and grabbing his arm lent into his ear, “Mate,” he asked, what are you doing here with this girl?"
Tim said to him, “It’s really bad and I needed someone.”
Paul raised his eyebrows and said, “Not here, not now, but Tim we need to have a talk.”
Tim’s reply, “It won’t change anything mate I just want to be happy, and everything is effing rubbish at the moment,” shocked Paul.
Lainey came up to Tim and asked to go outside for a smoke. “Yeah, Paddle Pop lets.” They wandered out the front and propping themselves on Tim’s bike appeared to be proceeding to ‘roll their own’. Rebecca standing near the front windows chatting to Julia said, “I didn’t realize Tim smoked.”
“Technically he doesn’t, I reckon it’s a joint,” said Julia. Rebecca perplexed asked, “So you all know this girl.”
Julia said, “Oh yeah and unfortunately she will be tied to us for life.” Rebecca looked at Julia quizzically. “They’ll hang around a little longer maybe, for another beer and then take all that leather crap and helmets they’ve just dumped inside the door and ride off again. If she is free all day, they’ll have a ‘Sunday sesh’ lined up somewhere with a live band and a group of mates.”
Rebecca looked at her friend and said, “Where is Izzy?”
“Well Bec looks like she has taken herself and her broken heart out on to the balcony at the back.”
“Julia,” said Bec, “what the hell has happened?”
“You’re cursing Bec, unlike you.” Bec was almost in tears looking from the front of the house to the back.
Paul came to her side, “It’s our day my love and I think we forget about the Tim and Lainey show.” Tim was certainly misguided bringing his friend and I think it is a show. He put his lips to her hair and said, “I love you.”
“What I would like to do Becky is go out and talk to Izzy for ten minutes or so, alone, is that okay?”
“Maybe, just maybe I’ll get some answers.”
Bec nodded, “I don’t think she wants to stay as she already gave me her gift.”
“I am so sad.”
Paul came up behind Izzy and putting his arm around her shoulders turned her into his body. She was sobbing. “Izzy honey, tell me what’s happened.”
“Paul it is all just really bad, I loved these two families, my friends, and I am just the garbage, the bag of bones to be tossed to the kerb.” Paul looked skyward. This wasn’t Izzy being dramatic, something pretty major had happened. He suggested they go down the steps and walk in the garden for a bit.
“Izzy, you will have to tell me what happened, I can’t even attempt to help you if you don’t.”
“Why were you guys having such a fight in the kitchen last night?” She looked at Paul, his steady eyes looking back at her; she was weighing up whether to tell him. She looked shattered as if she had been hit by never-ending vitriol. She wasn’t sure what he knew about her and her past. Paul was standing with his arms crossed waiting for her to talk.
So, I was married before to a man called Isaac, he died. It was a pretty bad marriage, lots of trouble, lots of violence and then finally a very ugly accident happened to me. I eventually got better, then he had a car accident, maybe he killed himself I don’t know. Paul was beginning to feel uneasy. You know I am with these families because my parents died when I was sixteen. My closest family was Uncle Robert, he was quite a nice man, but he was elderly and lived in the UK where my parents originated from. “I know why you are close to these families.”
“I knew a little about the Isaac story.”
“I want to know why you are feeling the way you do today.”
“Lucy, I love her, she’s always helped me.”
“Mum Ruth, some difficult times, but we are close now.” She let out a little sob, “Michael, Bec’s dad, was always nice, but Marco seemed more like a dad.”
“He helped me a lot too, with everything when there was trouble. I could just ring his PA Elizabeth and he’d be there.”
“I thought Marco really cared like a dad.”
“You know Rebecca and Julia are my best friends, but I couldn’t ever tell them what was happening to me. Isaac would give me presents, expensive presents, like my Mercedes, if I kept quiet and didn’t tell anyone he was violent and abusive to me.”
“Even the gallery, that was the big apology, he financed that.” She was twisting her face in anguish.
She started looking at the ground. Paul was beginning to get a rather nasty picture. He was looking at her and understood the fragility, the way she would seemingly drift into her own thoughts. “So…” she gave a halting sob. When my husband died, his estate was bequeathed to his family but some to me. It is still being sorted out."
“Paul, I don’t know if you know much about my personal wealth but I was left a trust fund from my parents and Uncle Robert left me quite a substantial legacy.”